Brendan Simpkins

MEMBER for Light Tony Piccolo has welcomed Gawler Council’s decision to keep its options open surrounding a change to the Gawler East Link Road speed limit.

Following a special council meeting last Tuesday night, elected members removed point four of the officer’s recommendation that encouraged council not to further pursue any change to the current speed limit of 50hm/h.

Mr Piccolo said it was a good decision to keep further changes on the table, saying it was a matter that needed to be resolved.

“The current speed limit is unacceptable,” he said. “The road is not fulfilling the purpose it was established for and that is shown by the data itself, very few people are using it when more people could use it more safely and that means it is an investment that is not being well utilised.

“Both the council and State Government need to understand that... my view would be that the council and State Government need to accept responsibility, the proposal was funded by the previous Labor Government but the final design was approved by the council and the State Government.”

Mr Piccolo said he had received numerous complaints from ratepayers.

Mr Piccolo wrote to Transport Minister Corey Wingard seeking clarity on the matter, receiving a written response from Treasurer Rob Lucas, who is also Assistant Infrastructure and Transport Minister.

In the letter, Mr Lucas said he had been advised by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) that council first needed to conduct a review before seeking further approval.

“DIT has advised Gawler East Link Road is a local road under the care, control and management of the Town of Gawler Council,” it read.

“As a result, any proposed local traffic management scheme is a matter for council’s consideration.

“Speed limits in South Australia are determined in accordance with the speed limit guideline for South Australia. Under the guidelines, requests from members of the public to changes of speed limits must first be addressed to the relevant road authority (in this case, council) for an initial review and assessment. Council may then formally request an assessment and approval of the
revised speed limit from the Commissioner of Highways.”

Approaching the next state election, Mr Piccolo told The Bunyip he would lobby an incoming Labor government for funding to rectify the issue.